Escape Into the Light of Darkness
by Aurora Hargreaves
Summary: A 17 year old girl named Aurora Hikari lives with her manservant Claire Kamikaze. There are differences between them, more than anyone knows. And there are deep secrets that should be kept secret. Read and find out what happens. Please R&R.
1. Nightmare

**Author's Note: I own everything!**

Escape Into the Light of Darkness

By: Aurora Hargreaves

Chapter 1: Nightmare

_She ran with the speed her legs could carry her. Running front the horrible creature that pursued her: a vampire. Her white dress and ebony black hair were almost completely soaked in blood. _

_Her blood, the vampire was after her blood... not caring if she died at all. The bloodthirsty beast only wanted to consume her! Still, she was only seventeen, as she ran; the air wasn't reaching her lungs, making it hard to breathe. As she reached the lake, the strong wind ruffled her hair, causing her to be found by the vampire, who at the moment was retracing its steps trying to find her. Finally, it caught up to her, seeing its fangs and haunting amber-red eyes…those eyes that scared her, she didn't want to see them at all! Now, its marble white hands were around her throat as she tried to flee, she couldn't move, because she was paralyzed by her fear. _

_This girl wished that this had never happened, as she tried to fight, she wanted the person who had been by her side ever since the last person in her family who understood her left her forever, when she knew that she had died, never to return with a warm smile to make her life brighter. That was when she saw blood…_

Sweat ran down her forehead was she tied up her waist length ebony hair and laid back down on her bed that was covered with silk sheets. Hearing her heart pounding in her ears, she tried to calm down, but nothing was working, as she turned on the lamp on her bedside table, that illuminated her pitch black room. Still, in the stillness of the house, someone was walking quietly to her room, and slowly opened the door as she turned off the lights. Then someone flipped on the switch by the door to re-illuminate the dark room.

A boy at the age of eighteen, with long dark ebony hair, golden emerald-amber eyes, who wore the clothes of a manservant, stood by the doorway awaiting an order from his mistress, who at the moment was trying to get a grip over her racing heart and he knew that in every nightmare that she had ever since she was a child, at the end of every one of them he wasn't there to save her, like he always should have.

His mistress looked up with a puzzled expression on her face. "Are you alright Claire?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm fine Lady Aurora," he replied. "But are you okay?" He wondered out loud as the look in his eyes grew frantic, searching for her answer.

"I'm alright Claire, so you don't have to worry about me, but I do have one request." She whispered to him as he walked towards her.

"What's your request Lady Aurora?" He inquired.

"Please stay with me tonight Claire," she answered, as he sat down on her bed, she lay down and finally sleep claimed her when she stared into Claire's amber eyes. Claire held her hand as she slept, because she needed to know that he wouldn't ever leave her side.

Still, he swore to keep her safe ever since the day of the "operation," when she lost the one person in her family that understood her. This was why he vowed to protect the innocence that he saw in her eyes.


	2. Reason to Stay

Chapter 2: Reason to Stay

The next morning when Aurora woke up, the first person she saw was Claire, her butler. It was always Claire who was there for her when she needed him the most after that dreaded "operation" that took away the one person in her family who really cared about her.

"Good morning Lady Aurora, did you sleep well?" He asked as he set down a tray piled with food, then walked over to her closet, and took out a white dress that was decorated with white roses.

"Yes Claire, thanks to you," she answered as he helped her dress. As she ate, he tied up his long hair into a loose ponytail, while she kept hers down.

"So what do you want to do today Lady Aurora?" Claire asked as he brought the tray downstairs, while she followed him into the kitchen.

"Maybe we could have a fencing match for a little while," she replied as he washed the dishes, he dried them as he inspected her.

"Not in that dress you're not!" He countered as she glared at him; likewise he did the same. They could have it going on for hours without any notice to the time, but Claire would always give in first, and that was just what he did.

"I win, so come on Claire, please?" She begged, but he stood firm. But he didn't expect her to latch onto his arm, which completely caught him off guard.

"Alright, you win Lady Aurora, but just don't ruin the dress," he answered quickly as he ran to get the fencing equipment. Still as he walked to the courtyard, he could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears, as they started to have their fencing match, but he realized that she was getting better at blocking and her skills were improving.

Lost in thought, out of nowhere, the sword flew out of his hands and landed three feet behind him. Then he went to go and put away the equipment when out of no where Aurora asked, "Why did you stay Claire?"

Turning around, Claire stared into his mistress's ocean blue eyes. He couldn't answer as he stood up to face her. Something was amiss, he knew what it was, but he wouldn't dare say.

"I don't know what you're talking about Lady Aurora," he finally answered as he retied his hair.

Aurora smiled as he stared which took his breath away. "Its okay Claire, you don't have to answer if you don't want to," she confessed.

He knew that Lady Aurora would never hurt anyone, unless necessary, she was just too kind. As they headed back to Aurora's room, he couldn't help but stare at his beautiful mistress.

Claire opened the bedroom door for her, as she jumped onto the bed, he closed the door. Still, he couldn't help but laugh when she acted like that.

"What's so funny Claire?" She wondered as she looked at him, he froze as the room started to feel cold.

"Nothing Lady Aurora," he answered, "but is it just me or does the room feel cold?"

"It's a little cold," she replied. "Why do you ask?" She pried as a bullet shot through the window and missed her by three inches, which hit the smooth white plaster wall.

The next bullet came, not missing its mark now, and headed straight for her...until unexpectedly, Claire deflected it and it hit the opposite wall three inches away from him.

"Sorry, I'll fix that right away Lady Aurora," he apologized as he went to go and get the white paint and plaster.

Claire then started to work on the two bullet holed walls, when he realized that his mistress had disappeared. Finding his mistress downstairs, she was preparing tea.

Claire was behind her in an instant. "Um…Lady Aurora, you do realize that I could have done that if you had asked me to," he confessed as he watched her.

"Yes, I know that, but does it seem wrong that I want to spoil my favorite butler for a little while," she retorted as he handed her his tea. He knew that it was his signal to shut up and not say a thing-that was how it was ever since they met (she'd say that and he'd shut up and not reply.)

As they both drank their teas in silence, he remembered the real reason why he stayed; it was because Lady Aurora needed him when she couldn't pull herself back together after the "operation." And that was the real reason why he stayed.


	3. My Reasons

Chapter 3: My Reasons

The next morning, Claire awoke to the smell of coffee and bread with strawberry jam. As he walked down the stairs, while buttoning his shirt, he found his mistress "slaving" over a hot, boiling, and raging coffee pot, while balancing a plate of scones in her left hand, with the coffee pot in her right.

He finally regained his senses as she put the food down on the kitchen table. Wait, but why the kitchen? He followed her anyway. The one thing that was weird was that the house was quiet, way too quiet for comfort. Not that Claire really minded, but it was odd that the kitchen was empty, and none of the servants were here.

"Um…Lady Aurora, where are all of the servants?"

"They're on a weekend vacation," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering, because the house is too quiet at the moment," he responded as he poured her tea and sat back down.

"So what do you want to know?"

"Whatever you'll tell me is fine," he answered, paying no mind to his breakfast.

"Start eating, while I talk," she ordered as he obeyed-couldn't help himself at the moment; besides, her cooking was good, when she _wanted_ it to be.

"It's like I said yesterday, _"does it seem wrong if I want to spoil my favorite butler for a little while," _still, you know you are the only person that I can really trust with all of my secrets, right Claire, after what "happened"?" She mused, while liking the shocked expression on his face as the real truth hit him, and it hit him hard, like a semi-truck cruising down the highway at 50mph!

"What are you talking about?" He asked, playing dumb again-really, he hated doing this, but he wanted to really know what his mistress was thinking. And it was to the point of killing him that he just wanted to maybe do something drastic (if need be.)

"Don't act like you don't know, because, I know that you do," she replied, unaware that he was staring at her.

"Why are you even asking me this?" He exclaimed as she stared into his golden amber eyes, without flinching, which was starting to really tick him off. Plus, he didn't like the way that she was acting, but he did have a feeling why she was doing this and he didn't like it one bit.

"Just tell me why you're acting like this, and don't even think about trying to hide it, besides Lady Aurora, you know as well as I do that I'll just see right through your lies, and without fail, I will _tamper_ with your memory even if you don't want me to find out what's wrong, because you know I will do anything necessary to help you," he hissed in her ear, feeling her flinch. She knew why he was acting this way, because he had his reasons…


	4. Promise

Chapter 4: Promise

Claire then ran straight from the room, once he had washed the dishes-far away from her and what had just happened. He wanted to wash it away, all of it. The things that he said, it didn't sound like him at all, well except the part where he said that he cared about her-but cruel, that wasn't him at all!

The one place that he could always run to without his mistress disturbing him, was his room, a safe haven from all of the pain, guilt, and cruelty that was trapped inside of him. But he was wrong as she opened the door…

"What are you doing here?" He asked as she closed the door and sat next to him on the bed.

"I'm sorry Claire; I just thought that you'd know…"

"I do know, and I know that it hurts, but you just have to let go, or at least try to," he said.

Claire didn't say anything as she leaned on him, he liked this feeling, but he knew that it wouldn't last long. Still, he loved it while it lasted. Likewise, he knew his mistress felt the same.

But he was surprised when she didn't get off of him, really the whole thing would only last for about maybe ten minutes or so, but now he didn't want to keep track of time at all now. Because time to him really wasn't a problem-but to his mistress, he knew that it was.

"Claire, I think I'm ready to talk now," he heard her say.

"Alright, I'll listen," he whispered into her ear.

"I just wonder…if I could become just like you," she stated in a small voice.

"Lady Aurora, you know that I could never do that to you," Claire said as he held her in a protective hug.

"But Claire…" he silenced her by putting a finger to her lips.

"I could _never _do what you're asking me to do, ever," he reasoned, "and you shouldn't be damned for all eternity."

"Why won't you?' Aurora asked as she wrapped her arms around Claire.

He realized where this was headed. "Since I don't want you to be hurt and I want you to always stay pure, to not be soiled by blood ever."

Aurora just stared into his emerald-amber eyes, the only warmth that she had known ever since the accident…and she knew that it was her fault, all of it was-if she wasn't _weak_ none of it would've happened.

"Lady Aurora, I know what you're thinking, and it _wasn't _your fault, so stop worrying about it," he whispered in her ear as he held her.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't keep blaming myself, and don't say to me what you usually say," she dared.

He just had to say it, it was now or never. "The reason is, because I care about you Lady Aurora and I'll never leave you alone" he admitted.

Aurora heard him, but she didn't believe it. "Could you repeat that?"

"Sure, as many times as you want," he answered, "I'll never leave you alone."

"Now I need to know your answer Lady Aurora," he requested.

"Well, it's the same one Claire," she replied.

Claire then held Aurora close, he didn't want to let her go. Not ever, even if it meant the end of his life. And that was a promise that he intended to keep.


	5. Thoughts

Chapter 5: Thoughts

The next morning, Aurora found herself in her room, with Claire sitting at the edge of her bed, smiling at her with a tray of food in his hands. He then puts it down on her side table, and lies down with her, while handing her an envelope. He was wearing his uniform again, while she wore a white low cut dress that only came up to her knees.

"What's this about Claire?" She asks as she tore the envelope open.

He smiles. "Last time I checked, the letter was from your cousin, Andrew Ryan."

"What does he want now?' She wondered as she read the letter, while Claire just stared at her.

"So, he wants me to attend a masquerade ball that he's hosting," she finally said.

"Are you going to go?" Claire whispered the question into her ear.

"Maybe, but does he realize that I don't want to dance," she told Claire as she ate, who started to go through her huge closet of clothes.

"Yes, he does, but I think that he just wants to torture you, maybe for the fun of it," he stated. That was when he pulled out a red dress that had slits at the side, with the matching mask.

"You're not helping at all Claire, do you realize that?" She wondered as he hung up the dress on the back of her door, and set the mask on the table.

He just ruffled her hair playfully as he took the tray away, once at the door, he said, "I realize that I'm not helping the situation not one bit, but if you like, I could dance with you at the ball if you don't have a partner Lady Aurora."

"I'd like that very much Claire," she agreed as she followed him downstairs.

He let her, well really, Claire didn't have a choice in the matter, and she could do what ever she wanted as long as he was there. Still, he wasn't letting her out of his sight. And it wasn't long before they had to leave for Andrew's, because right after lunch, Claire started packing everything for the trip.

They quickly got there, with time to spare. And once they reached the front door, Aurora didn't even have to ring the doorbell, because Walter, the Ryan's family butler opened the door.

Walter smiled. "Ah, Miss Aurora, Lord Richard and young master Andrew are expecting you, do come in," he said, as he took the bags.

"Thank you Walter, but it's alright, you don't have to get the bags, Claire can get them," she confirmed.

Walter led the way to the living room, while Claire quickly ran upstairs to the room that Aurora used when she stayed here, and put the bags on the floor. He caught up with her shortly in the living room.

There on one side sat Richard Ryan, Aurora's uncle, who was in his forties, he had light brown-chestnut hair and sparkling sapphire blue eyes. He wore a business suit; seemingly he just came back from a day of work. On his left sat Andrew, Aurora's cousin, who was the same age as Claire. He was wearing a sort of tuxedo/suit (probably his mother picked it out)-Claire couldn't help but laugh inwardly to himself. He had the same hair color as his father, but had the same ocean blue eyes like his mother's-Sara. Sara wasn't here at the moment, Claire noticed, _she must be on a business trip_, he thought to himself as he sat down next to his mistress.

"So you received my invitation?" Andrew asked, but he mostly directed this at Claire once he sat down, Aurora noticed this.

"Yes, and we will be staying," she confirmed while Claire stared at her, she didn't notice, but Andrew did.

"So how have things been lately?" Uncle Richard asked finally when he found a chance to speak.

Aurora wasn't able to answer, because of the tension in the room, Claire could feel it to, and so he answered the question for her. "Frankly, everything has been fine, and I assure you that nothing has happened to her," he explained.

Uncle Richard could do no better than a nod, because he knew not to question something, when Claire answered instead of Aurora. But unlike his father, Andrew didn't know this, so he _just_ had to ask.

"But why won't you tell us yourself Aurora?" Andrew wondered, and Claire was about to rise up from his position on the couch when Aurora grabbed his arm.

"Don't think about it Claire," she muttered under her breath as he calmed down.

Aurora then looked at Andrew and replied, "Because maybe I don't want you to know what I'm thinking."

Now Uncle Richard could feel the tension. Really, it was getting to him so bad that he was sweating, plus he couldn't say anything. He then realized that the tension was going between Claire and Andrew.

"Will you all excuse me, I have some things to catch up on," he explained as he got up and walked to his study.

_There is no way that dad is just planning to leave me in this room with Aurora and Claire_, Andrew thought. Besides, he couldn't stand Claire, and he was hoping that Aurora wasn't going to bring him along, because he rarely got to see his cousin at the very least, but when he did, the butler always had to be around her, which was somewhat an annoyance.

But what Andrew was thinking was slowly becoming a reality…and he _hated_ this type of reality. _But what can I do about it?_ He questioned in his mind. There really wasn't anything that he could do-unless he got rid of Claire, and soon. This was one thought he wanted to see happen, so he was_ going _to make it come true.

Still, there was nothing that he could do about the way he felt…and it was slowly eating away at him.


	6. Masquerade Ball of Dreams

Chapter 6: Masquerade Ball of Dreams

After the conversation in the living room, Aurora and Claire walked upstairs to the room that she stayed in. He opened the door, and she walked in, he followed right behind her. Then as he closed the door, she jumped onto the bed, and her dress started to get wrinkled as she lay down, Claire just stared.

"What's wrong Claire?" Aurora asked as he sat down on the bed next to her.

He smiled as he played with a strand of her hair. "It seems that Andrew still hates me Lady Aurora," he answered as he stared at the ceiling.

She smiled and at the same time pouted. "Really, Claire, when did you start caring when Andrew started to hate you? And you know that when it's just us, drop the formalities please."

"I really don't care that he hates me," he replied, "but why don't you want me to use formalities?" He wondered as he lay down on the bed next to her, still playing with her hair.

She smiled as she stared at him, "Because you know that I don't like formalities at all, and I want you to say my name without the formality attached to it like you used to when we were kids," she answered while she retied his hair.

"If that is what you want, then so be it…Aurora," he had to pause; besides it had been a long time since he said her name in a familiar manner. And that was when he wrapped his arms around her like he used to and let her lay against his chest and that was where she fell asleep.

He watched her sleep; he always did, even back then when her sister was around. _Aurora is cute when she has a peaceful look on her face_, Claire thought to himself as he stroked her hair. This thought led to others that might've been considered bad thoughts-well to him anyway. But Claire held her close, because he didn't want to let her out of his sight. Then he heard a knock at the door, it was unlocked, and that was when Uncle Richard walked in.

Richard Ryan walked into the room and closed the door quietly. "Is this a bad time?" He wondered as he turned to look at Claire.

"No, it isn't, she's just asleep," he answered while Uncle Richard sat down on the edge of her bed.

Her uncle couldn't help but smile as he stared at Claire, he wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the right words, and butler who sat opposite of him knew exactly what was on his mind without even an explanation. Yet there was a kind of understanding between them when it came to _any_ decision.

"She's still the same," he finally said at last while he also watched Aurora sleep.

Claire smiled. "Yes, she's still the same as always," he agreed as he continued to stroke her hair. A few more words were exchanged between them until her uncle decided to leave.

Once the door closed, Aurora woke up to Claire's enchanting smile. And that smile for her could make everything all right, even when she knew that it wouldn't be. For her that was enough, because Claire was supporting her through all the things that she had to face.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Claire questioned as she listened to the beat of his heart.

Aurora smiled as she looked up at him. "Yes, and I had a very good dream," she answered.

Claire then had to stare at her at this rate, because she rarely had good dreams lately. "So what was this dream about Aurora?" He asked with curiosity in his voice.

Aurora was silent for a while, because of the dream that she had. _How do I tell Claire that the dream was about him kissing me after he danced with me at the ball?_ She thought to herself. So that was when she decided to lie-but she forgot the fact that he _could _tamper with her memory.

"So what was the dream about Aurora?" He whispered the same question in her ear, because she was not paying attention, or so he thought.

She bit her bottom lip and then said, "It was about us at the ball, and…you kissed me after you danced with me," she answered, once she said it, she realized that she didn't tell him the lie that she wanted him to hear.

_Oh shit, I just said it! Damn I can't even lie straight when want to, and when I don't think about lying to him, I lie to him._ She thought to herself as he read her mind-it was a habit of his that he couldn't break ever since the first time she lied to him and that was after she first met him.

He smiled one of his enchanting smiles again. "I knew that you were going to lie somehow," he confirmed. "But do you think that the dream will really happen Aurora?" He asked as he held her closer to him once she repositioned herself to a more comfortable spot on the bed.

She didn't answer for a few minutes until she had to look at him straight in the eye. "It might, besides when I had different dreams similar to this one, you would find a way to make it come true," she answered as he thought about what she just said.

"Besides, our relationship is way beyond a master and servant type of relationship," she added with a slight laugh.

"You're right about that, but what will happen if your cousin finds out?" Claire asked in a worried tone.

"It'll be fine, so don't worry about it, I'll handle all of that, because sometimes I can't always be the one to be spoiled, so for now it's your turn to take a break," she answered reassuring him. But little did they know that Andrew was listening to the whole conversation. Besides not everything can be perfect during a night of a ball, right? And as the clock struck six, the ball began…

Yet there was nothing Claire could do but think about the dream that Aurora explained to him as he helped her get ready. He then promised her that he would meet her on the dance floor once he got ready and she left.

She walked onto the dance floor; she spotted Andrew walking towards her. Something wasn't right, and she knew it. Still, she danced with Andrew while she waited for Claire, but she let Andrew have his dance with her. _Let him have his fun_, she thought.

Then after her dance with Andrew, Aurora swore that a boy who looked just like Claire who wore a pure white suit with a rose the left top pocket walked towards her.

Then they danced.

It was so beautiful, that everyone else had to stop dancing and watch them…not kidding. It was so spectacular that Andrew almost lost consciousness…literally. And her uncle almost dropped his wine glass.

Because tonight was a masquerade ball of dreams…for the both of them as they


	7. With You Forever

Chapter 7: With You Forever

This was the night that Aurora wished for. And her dream did come true once she closed her eyes and heard Uncle Richard's wine glass hit the floor and swore that Andrew fell into a dead faint…really he fainted.

And yet she knew that she would be his forever, once he sealed her wish with a kiss…


End file.
